- Physical health and well-being
- Approaches to learning.
Researchers are using multiple measurement approaches and mul-
tiple instruments to assess the extent to which children may be pre-
pared to succeed in school. The data derive from three sources: direct
assessment of children’s performance (in reading, general knowledge,
mathematical concepts); ratings by teachers of children’s behavior
and persistence with tasks; and ratings by parents of children’s pro-
social and task behaviors.
Population-based Assessment Tools for Developing Countries
Population-based assessment tools, such as the EDI, are applicable to
developing countries to obtain data on early child development
within and across countries. As is being done in Australia and
Canada, these data could be linked with other population data—such
as socioeconomic status (e.g., income, level of education), child
health (e.g., health risks, outcomes), and availability of and access to
community resources (e.g., prenatal, maternal and child health, ECD
programs)—to better understand children’s variability and vulnera-
bility in school readiness across districts, provinces/states, regions,
and countries. This understanding is a foundation for action.
Examples of Applications
The EDI, as noted, is being adapted for use in several developing
countries. This tool, as well as other population-based instruments,
could be used to monitor children’s outcomes in ECD projects and to
assess children’s school readiness prior to their entry into school. Two
examples of ongoing efforts—
Monitoring Children’s Outcomes in ECD Projects.In the Dominican Repub-
lic and Jordan, two World Bank–supported ECD project teams have pi-
loted a population-based instrument to collect baseline data on early
child development specifically to monitor the ECD projects. The
teams are collecting data on the outcomes of child development280 J. Fraser Mustard and Mary Eming Young